


Past, Debts, and Change

by Diary



Category: Captain America (Movies), Fargo (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: A Diner, American Sign Language, Conversations, Deaf Clint Barton, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Introspection, POV Mr. Wrench (Fargo), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Season/Series 01, Self-Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: A brief meeting between Mr Wrench and Wanda. Complete.
Kudos: 6





	Past, Debts, and Change

A flurry of words catch his eye.

Over in a booth, a young woman, white, dyed red hair, dominating green eyes, has a tablet set up. She’s talking somewhat erratically, but despite the clumsiness of some of her words, she’s fluent. Watching her, he sees she can hear, but he can’t determine if this has always been the case.

“Are you sure he won’t know it’s from me,” she asks.

Whatever the person on the other end says, her stance relaxes a little.

“I had-” There’s a pause. “Fruit. No, it was yellow.” A moment later, she carefully says, “Bananas.”

He’s about to go back to his food when suddenly she spells out, “SHIELD.”

The pang is something he can never predict even when he should be able to.

Numbers would get so touchy about the mere mention of that particular organisation that his signing would become sloppier and sloppier, and when he spoke from his mouth, it quickly got to where the words would come out too fast with his lips twisted in a way that made it largely unreadable.

Shaking away memories of Numbers’ exasperated face, his mischievous smiles, the way his laughter felt, he sees her say, “I’ll get the money as soon as I can, but short of robbing a bank-” She shrugs.

He realises with exasperation: This is currently off-the-table for her.

Numbers would have opinions on the fact half the Avengers are currently fugitives and the other half have sold their souls to Thunderbolt Ross.

This girl is likely Wanda Maximoff, Scarlet Witch. She looks vastly different from the footage he’s seen, but if it her, this proves she’s got some skills.

He never told Numbers about his history with Hawkeye.

He never told Numbers a lot of things he should have.

“I think I look crazy,” she says. “Not many deaf people around these parts.”

He’s the only one paying any attention to her, and he feels a flash of guilt mixed with amusement.

“I’ll call you later. Stay safe. Send my best to-” A family walks by, and by the time he can see her again, she’s putting her tablet away.

She’ll never be close to what Natasha Romanov is, and he imagines she tries to emulate Hawkeye.

His lower back aches.

Numbers had asked once about the scar, and he’d lied. It was one of four lies he’d told to him.

He tells himself Numbers must have lied to him about things, too, but he could never control Numbers, not when it came to any important; he could control his own actions, and the regret at how many things he did, all the things he didn’t do-

There are quotes about leaving the past behind, no regrets, and he’s always wondered if they sound as stupid when spoken by mouth as they do when read and signed.

Seeing her leave, there’s a brief flash of Numbers sitting across from him, and he comes to a decision.

Outside, she walks around the back, and seeing no one else is nearby, he taps the diner’s wall to get her attention.

When she turns, he asks, “How long have you known ASL?”

Her body language is still wary, but a genuine smile crosses her face. “For a few years, now. A friend of mine is deaf. He taught me.”

Coming closer, he sees she’s trying to decide whether to run, maybe fly, or attack.

“He taught you well. Here.” He pushes the duffel bag of money into her arms. “They’re clean. Tell Hawkeye my debt to him is settled.”

Turning to walk away, he feels her following, and turning back around, he adds, “My name is Wes Wrench, and I met Hawkeye a long time ago, Wanda Maximoff. Ask him about me. He’ll tell you the money’s safe and to avoid ever being near me again.”

This time she doesn’t follow when he walks away.


End file.
